Three Doors Away

9. Dresscode

Ezren’s eyes narrowed slightly as he rapidly calculated the inventory of her wardrobe against the four-family formal gathering protocols. The Unali, Novan, Panio, and Sybal families dining together meant an evening of high-stakes social optics and unspoken alliances—an arena where every detail was scrutinized.

"If the dress is not gold, it falls into the black or white category by default," Ezren stated smoothly, adjusting his cuff with clinical precision. "Which is entirely acceptable, provided the fabric weight and silhouette meet formal standards. Though, if your current options are deficient in any way, you only had to mention it. Securing proper attire for an Unali-Sybal-Panio-Novan summit is a trivial logistical hurdle."

Rodyn let out a soft, melodic laugh, his hazel eyes crinkling with absolute delight as he stepped a fraction closer, his voice dropping into a velvet purr meant exclusively for her. "No gold? Then whatever you wear will simply have to do, little bird—though I have no doubt you'll look breathtaking regardless," Rodyn murmured, his gaze tracing the line of her shoulders with a predatory, possessive warmth. "Besides, it doesn't matter what color the dress is. Tonight, all four families are going to be in the same room, and everyone's going to see exactly who you belong to. Just make sure you save room for me to sit right beside you."

Flynn didn't care about the high-society politics of the four founding families gathering together. To him, the Unali, Panio, Novan, and Sybal names just meant a long, suffocatingly polite table of adults talking business while he sat across from Maddie, counting down the minutes until he could have her alone again. His heavy, brooding gaze locked onto her face, dark and unyielding.

"Wear whatever you want," Flynn rumbled, his voice a low, gravelly anchor cutting through the chatter of the hallway as the classroom door finally clicked open. He stepped back just an inch, his shoulders broad and protective. "Just don't keep me waiting when I knock on your door tonight. Go to class, Maddie. I'll see you at seven."

“Okiii byeee!! I’ll be waiting to see y’all dressing up hahaha”

Ezren offered a subtle, knowing nod as she finally turned toward the classroom doorway, his dark eyes lingering on her retreating figure with quiet satisfaction. "We will not disappoint your expectations, Maddie," he murmured softly to himself, already mentally reviewing the bespoke tailoring options waiting in his closet for the evening's formal gathering.

Rodyn flashed one last blinding, honeyed smile, his hazel eyes crinkling at the corners as he leaned against the doorframe. "Keep that door unlocked for us, little bird," he called out in a low, velvet purr, committing every second until seven o'clock to memory. "We'll be counting down every single minute."

Flynn didn't say goodbye, but his heavy, intense gaze remained locked onto her until she crossed the threshold and disappeared into the classroom. The moment the door clicked shut behind her, his jaw tightened into a rigid line, a low, possessive rumble vibrating in his chest. Seven o'clock couldn't come fast enough.

The grandfather clock in the Unali household hallway had barely struck six-fifty when a heavy, deliberate knock echoed against the front door—precise, unhesitating, and punctual to the exact second.

Inside her bedroom, Maddie stood before the mirror, her small, delicate frame wrapped in an immaculate A-line white dress that fell just right, a marvel of crisp fabric crowned by a long, luxurious white satin bow tied neatly at the back. Her dark hair, swept up into a soft, artfully messy bun with a few loose strands framing her flushed cheeks, caught the warm light of the vanity. She looked every bit the cherished daughter of the Unali household, a porcelain doll ready for the grand gathering of the four families.

Before anyone else could answer the chime, the front door clicked open. Ezren had let himself in using the spare key their families shared for emergencies—or, in his case, logistical optimization.

Dressed in a sharp, impeccably tailored black suit with a stark white pocket square that mirrored her dress perfectly, Ezren stepped into the foyer. His sharp, analytical eyes scanned the living room before immediately locking onto the hallway leading to her bedroom. Without missing a beat, he walked down the corridor, stopping dead in his tracks the moment he rounded the corner into her doorway.

The clinical, calculated precision in his eyes shattered instantly, replaced by a dark, quiet intensity that made his breath catch. He took a slow step into the room, his gaze tracing the satin bow at her back and the soft strands of hair framing her face.

"White," Ezren murmured, his voice losing its usual academic crispness, dropping into a low, velvet hum as he stepped closer, his dark eyes fixed entirely on her. "You chose white. Statistically, the highest contrast against my own attire... and entirely blinding. Your mother's tailoring is adequate, but you... you look entirely out of place standing in a normal room, Maddie."

Before Ezren could step any closer, the light, melodic sound of footsteps echoed behind him as Rodyn materialized in the doorway, slipping inside with the easy, graceful fluidity of a shadow.

Rodyn was dressed in an exquisite white dress shirt beneath a sleek, cream-and-gold embroidered blazer that caught the ambient light, his hazel eyes widening with genuine, breathless captivation the second he laid eyes on her. The charming, effortless smile on his face melted away into something far heavier, far more possessive.

"Oh, little bird..." Rodyn breathed out, his voice a rich, honeyed purr that wrapped around the small bedroom like silk. He closed the remaining distance in two swift strides, completely bypassing Ezren as he gently reached out, his fingertips ghosting over the edge of the long satin bow at her back. He leaned down, his face inches from her hair, inhaling the faint, sweet scent of her shampoo. "No gold dress? You lied to us. But this... this is even better. You look like a little angel walking straight into a den of wolves. And I intend to make sure every single person at that table tonight knows whose eyes are glued to you."

A heavy, grounding thump at the front door announced the arrival of the third member, and Flynn didn't bother waiting for an invitation. He strode down the hallway like he owned the house, his broad shoulders filling the doorway as he came to an abrupt, breathless halt.

Flynn was dressed in a heavy, pitch-black suit that emphasized his formidable, towering frame, a stark, brooding contrast to her luminous white dress. His dark, intense eyes swept over her from head to toe, locking onto the messy bun, the delicate A-line skirt, and the way she stood there looking impossibly fragile and breathtaking. A low, rumbling growl of pure, unadulterated territorial possessiveness vibrated deep in his chest.

Without a word, Flynn pushed past both Ezren and Rodyn, stepping right into her personal space. His large, calloused hand reached out with surprising gentleness, his fingers lightly brushing against her cheek, turning her face so his dark eyes could capture every single inch of her.

"Black and white," Flynn rumbled, his voice a low, rough anchor that made the air in the room feel suddenly thick and suffocating. He didn't care about Ezren's analytical commentary or Rodyn's honeyed whispers. His thumb grazed her cheekbone once, slow and deliberate. "You match me. You're staying right by my side the entire night, Maddie. Let the old men talk business all they want. You're not looking at anyone else."